Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-02-11
for snfants ard Children.
The Revival CT Sheep.

II is but a short tune since some
of our sheep farmers were feeling
very much depressed about the
condition of their industry, and
declaring prices were too low to
permit any hope of prosperity.
The wise among them however,
kept right along in the same
road they had been accustomed to
travel, making no change beyond
cutting unnecessary expenses, the
bestowal OF little more care upon
the flock, and the raising and i'm
proyments of It's general standard
by the wedding out of inferior an
imals and breeding up the remain
der. There has been Il turn in the
tide, which always comes sooner
or later; prices have revived, and
the men who have good sheep
are among the happiest and COM
placent 10 be found anywhere.
The range of prices the past year
has been quite discouraging also to
farmers who have been accustom-
ed to sell cattle at much better
prices than have been recently
current; butreally there is nothing
in the present outlook or situation
to justify any distrust or alarm
about the average and almost I'M
interrupted profit of beef produc-
ton. Possibly other and more en-
during causes would incorporated
in the direction of lower prices, for
beef was really higher in price
thanany other agricultural product,
but much Of tie swift decline was
undoubtedly due the unusal
drought which prevailed over
large sections of country, and
which forced an unusual number of
thin cattle to be offered for sale,
while the most important class of
buyers Of this description of cattle,
with the prospect OF short feed
before them were toa large degree
out OF the market. Whatever of
value is lost from this cause viii be
restored In the natural working of
the market, and the number of
thin cattle sent forward last fall
may likely be found influencing
the market for two years to come
in the way Of diminished supplies.
The cattle interests are in no
danger Of such long pull as the
sheep industry has encountered,
for while people in a fit of economy
may continue to wear their last
season s clothes their dinners must
be provided every day. SO cattle
growers should keep right along,
in full confidence that they are
secure from anything like pro-
longed depression in their bust
ness, which must eyer be regarded
as the most important and lucra-
tive industry of the farm. If at
any time current values should
fall below the average it is likely
that some inferior animals will
cease to pay their way, in which
case they should be relentlessly
weeded out. The best animals
viii always bring the largest re-
turns; If nothing pays they will
come the nearest to it of any; il
there is only little money to be
made it is from the best animals
that it viii come and if prices are
good it is the best cattle that first
catch the breeze and ride on the
top wave, almost turning car loads
into fortunes. No matter what
comes, therefore, let the work OF
improving the character of the
farm stock know no interruption,
and the lower the price the higher
the standard to which the farmer
should breed, and the more i'm
portant will be the result of i'm
provement.-Breeder's Gazette.